Flat Hills Fly-In

From Howard Smith of the Wanganui Aero Club

Thank you, everyone who attended our fly-in. It was a great day with no wind and no clouds. Approx 65 aircraft there. If anyone has any feedback on what we could do better for next time then let us know.

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Wanganui Spitfire”. Richmond Harding’s ZK-SPT

An overview by Mike Feeney.

This absolutely gorgeous image was taken by John King at Wanaka. Jerry Chisum is flying it.; lucky blighter!

Click to enlarge

When I think of Richmond (Ditch) Harding as a young aerial topdressing pilot working away, year after year, in a heavily-laden Fletcher FU-24 or Ceres, laboriously climbing amongst the rugged terrain of the central North Island, I wonder if he sometimes day-dreamed of being in an aeroplane that could effortlessly soar upwards with just a light backward pressure on the stick…something with a reserve of power and a surplus of airspeed. I know that I sometimes had such longings when struggling for height in a Fletcher towards a ridgeline. In my case it was a Corsair with its huge radial that I day-dreamed about. In the laden topdressing machines that we flew, all that happened if you pulled the stick back was that the nose went up and the aircraft went down! The dreaded area of, result-wise, reversed command which has led to the downful of many an ag. pilot in amongst tight terrain. Continue reading

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Wings over Wairarapa 2013

The : Honouring The Past Celebrating the Future: theme truly captures the scope of this iconic event. Held at the Hood Aerodrome in Masterton over the Wellington Anniversary weekend, the 2013 show will be the eighth Wings over Wairarapa. It will include some of the world’s rarest vintage aircraft from the last century including WW1 aircraft alongside some of the classics from WW 2. Their will also be a tantalising glimpse of the future of aviation here in New Zealand.

For more details, please contact Liz Pollock:  info@wings.org.nz

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New CAA Rules

Skydive Abel Tasman expects to be one of about half a dozen tandem skydive businesses that will be legal to operate after tough new rules came into force today. Of the 23 parachuting businesses in the country, perhaps nine would meet the new standards.

The new law came into effect on November 1 and businesses had six months to comply. The changes came from the Civil Aviation Authority reclassifying tandem parachutes as aircraft.

“It requires the operator to have in place systems and procedures to manage risks” said CAA director Graeme Harris. “It is requiring them to have qualified staff and training systems, it is requiring them to have the appropriate equipment that is properly maintained, and it is also to ensure the senior people in these organisations are fit and proper.”

Microlight and glider operators will be the next focus of the CAA, with new guidelines to be released in the next 18 months

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Wingspread” # 10. 1st May, 2012

Cobbled together in an aimless manner by a dinosaur aviator who misses the past, enjoys the present and tries to ignore the future……
Mike Feeney of Hamilton, New Zealand.

CONTENTS.

a)  Editor’s preamble;
b)  New Zealand accident summary;
c)  Know about aircraft. # 05. The Ilyshin Il-2 Sturmovik;
d)  Know about aircraft. # 06;
e)  Supplement on engine options for the Beech 17 Staggerwing;
f)  “If it looks right, it will fly right.”;
g)  World War Two aviation statistics. Aircraft production;
h)  QUIZ and Tutorial. # 07: Have had to defer this segment until Wingspread # 11 as I am way behind with other work stuff. But never fear, our chums in their Cessna 172 will eventually escape fro their predicament; and will have gained some knowledge as they do so.
i)  QUIZ # 08. As for the above in (h).

a)  Editor’s preamble:

Greetings aviation persons. After my mind-numbing discourse(s) in the previous issue, I shall endeavour to exercise a modicum of brevity in order to not tax your attention span excessively.
Our New Zealand weather has remained benign which greatly assisted the running of some quite large aviation events. The annual big balloon gathering here in my home city of Hamilton enjoyed marvellous conditions with flying taking place every morning. In our suburban home we were able to watch many aeronauts drifting across at quite low levels with the local children waving to them and taking photographs of the colourful sight. Continue reading

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NZ Agricultural Pilot’s Memorial Roll

THE PROJECT TASK: To compile a complete and permanent record of all pilots who have been killed whilst engaged in aerial agricultural flight operations in New Zealand since the industry became established in 1949. In addition, the compilation of a roll of New Zealand pilots killed during agricultural aviation operations overseas.

BACKGROUND TO MY INTEREST:
When I reached my ninth birthday in Hamilton, I began to notice the de Havilland DH-82 Tiger Moths of James Aviation and Robertson Air Services flying out to work in the early morning past our home and later returning to Rukuhia aerodrome past my school in the outer suburbs. Soon after, I was cutting out clippings about the new industry and biking out to Ossie James and Guy Robertson’s hangars to watch what was going on (and getting in the way of course). Continue reading

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OHAKEA AIRSHOW 2012

OHAKEA AIRSHOW 2012

 

These photo’s were taken by Paul Harrison at the recent airshow held at Ohakea to celebrate the airforce anniversary. to see his collection just click on this link

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A Jolly Good Read

“Courage in the Skies”

By Paul Harrison and Brian Lockstone, 160 pages soft cover, colour and black and white illustrations This book is an illustrated history of the air force from the early 1900s until 1948. Special author signed copies for aviation buffs! only  $20.00  + P&P direct from one of the authors. (current retail $39.95) $2.00 from each sale will got towards supporting the Aviation Historical Society of New Zealand in production of its Aerolegacy Journal. This book is now available from: Paul Harrison 12 Parakai St Paraparaumu 5032 Tel 04 902 3750

E-mail:  pronto@paradise.net.nz

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Anzac Day. 25th April, 2012

Reflections on RNZAF and RAAF aircrew losses in Europe. They are not forgotten.

As I was watching the various ANZAC memorial services in New Zealand and Australia this morning, I reflected on the contribution that the young men of both nations made during the nearly six years of the air war in Europe.

The aircrew losses incurred by the RAF were staggeringly frightful with 65,727 killed or missing and another 16,297 wounded.

7,021 Australians were killed or missing during their service as aircrew in Europe. New Zealand lost 2,960 aircrew while serving with the RAF. We should remember that the population of New Zealand during WWII was well under two million and that of Australia about five or six times that. Continue reading

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SITUATION VACANT- Aviation Sports Club

B Cat or C Cat Instructor out of direct supervision  required for the  Aviation Sports Club.  For more details just click on the link  Situation Vacant – April 2012

 

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Pictures From Wanaka

These pictures have come from Philip Makanna (THE GHOST) a photographer from the USA and the producer of the GHOST Calendar.

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Malborough Aero Club

News & Updates

Club fly-away to D’Urville Island planned for this weekend. See below for further details.

Night Flying
Fly over Blenheim in the dark or gain a night rating. We have a couple slots available for night flying this Thursday and Friday from 6pm onwards. Please call (578 5073) or email us to book your lesson.

ANZAC Day – closed
We’ll be closed for dual lessons tomorrow. If you’re a PPL/CPL licence holder and would like to fly club aircraft on the public holiday, please contact Travers prior to Wednesday on 021 061 6023.

Trip to D’Urville Island – Sunday 29th April
Pack your picnic basket, slap on the sunscreen and grab your fishing gear! The weather looks perfect for a trip to D’Urville Island this Sunday. Briefing will be held at the Flight Office at 9.30am and we’ll aim to depart at 10am. To book a seat or a Club Aircraft, please contact us on 578 5073.

Continue reading

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Parakai Airfield – April Newsletter,

This month:

Hot air balloon

-          Visit to the Northland Floods

-          National skydive championships

WestAucklandAirportParakai-April2012-Newsletter

 

 

 


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Flightradar24

Live Airtraffic Around the Globe 
Flightradar24 has a network of about 500 ADS-B receivers around the world that receives plane and flight information from aircraft with ADS-B transponders and sends this information to a server, and then displays this information on a map on Flightradar24. Only aircraft with an ADS-B transponder, within the coverage area of the 500 receivers are visible.just click herehttp://www.flightradar24.com/

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NZ EVENT REMINDER

NZ EVENT REMINDER-3 June 2012  Warbirds Open day at Ardmore  Commemoration of D-Day Gates Open 1000 hrs practise flying displays 1200 – 1430 hrs

NZ EVENT REMINDER – 8th – 9th SEPTEMBER Tail Dragger Weekend at Bridge Pa Hastings Jail Bar Bombing, STOL, Wild food lunch   contact Stephanie Eilers      mailto:stephanie@stm.net.nz

NZ EVENT REMINDER-22ND SEPTEMBER 2012 Wings over Water Airshow at Lake Twizel Contact Joy Paterson… joy@joypaterson.co.nz.

NZ EVENT REMINDER – FRIDAY 18TH – SUNDAY 20TH JANUARY 2013 WINGS over WAIRARAPA AIRSHOW Tickets are available from TICKETEK outlets by phoning 0800 TICKETEK or www.ticketek.co.nz

 

 

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Remote Control Toy Jet @ 586kmph

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